Gabe Newell Acknowledges Frustrations With Half-Life 3

[TheNaut131]

...not bothered in the slightest. I kinda wish people would just let Valve move on at this point. It'd be a lot easier if Gabe just said, "no, we're kinda done with that" to solidify it, push fans along, and let Valve move onto other things. The ending for HL2 was kinda a kick in the groin, but still...

You know, who honestly cares at this point? Now, that I think about it, there are only a few ways for the Half Life series to end. Either Gordon figures out whats up with the whole G-Man thing and saves the universe, or he fails and the universe is screwed. It'd be interesting to see how he gets to that point, but at this rate, I doubt they'd satisfy people. Too many ideas and theories have formed in their heads for Valve to successfully reel them in. Which is why I plan to keep my hype at baseline levels and if the game is ever released, not that it really matters now. Either they release it or they don't.

Spoiler: TLDR

 

[Indignator]

Akin to politicians, Valve is going the "never answer yes or no" approach to any questions about Half Life sequels. To say that this is frustrating is the understatement of the century.

Seriously, wtf? Just say "no, we're not working on it right now and we don't know if or when we will". It's super easy, and would certainly satisfy me.
You can only feed the hype so far with these DISRESPECTFUL tactics. There is a reason there is so much politician hate in the world nowadays. Eventually, people will have had enough and your reputation will suffer from it.

Please, Valve. You're one of the few "good" game devs in the business right now. Don't make people want to hate you, or worse, start to feel apathy for you.

Couldn't agree more. This is where the DNF analogy breaks down. DNF was ANNOUNCED and IN DEVELOPMENT for over a decade. Valve won't even say if a single line of code was written thus far. As far as I'm concerned Episode 3 and/or Half-Life 3 is NOT in development and a simple acknowledgment on Valve's part would provide much needed closure. Instead we get non-answers like this. Disrespectful is indeed a fitting description.

Captcha - "assHot Seventieth" LOL

 

[templar1138a]

1) Valve is in no risk of bankruptcy any time soon;
2) We don't even know if the game is being developed.

Both are fair points. In that case, make it 2040.

 

[Vim-Hogar]

tl;dr: HL3 will be released in 50-60 years.

 

[Eri]

I'm so tired of hearing other people whine about 3 that I've long since stopped caring if it ever sees the light of day.

I'm so tired of hearing other people who are supposedly tired of something and feel so superior about it they have to tell about it to everyone they can. If this is something you don't care about anymore, just say that. Don't imply that no-one should care.

I'M so tired of hearing other people whine about 3 that I'VE long since stopped caring if it ever sees the light of day. No one implied anything about other people. Also this post is hypocritical.

 

[Vigormortis]

Why is it the only thing The Escapist takes away from that rather lengthy interview Penny Arcade had with Gaben is his rather short and info-light speech on Half-Life 3?

I mean, for Christ's sake, Newell talked about biometrics, the potentiality of them building their own hardware, Valve experimenting with wearable computers (some with virtual 100-inch displays), his views on free-to-play and future forms of content sharing and match making, and a host of other, FAR more interesting, topics.

I don't understand what's been going on with the Escapist news room lately. Come on people! Just give us good reporting, you don't need to sensationalize it.

The title on the home page:

Gabe Newell Acknowledges Half-Life 3

The title on the article page:

Gabe Newell Acknowledges Frustrations With Half-Life 3

Oh you dicks.

The Escapist has been doing this a LOT lately. Especially with Valve related news. The last one on the front page read "Valve's Portal 2 mod crashes Skyrim" while the actual article title was "Valve's Portal 2 mod "crashes down" into Skyrim."

I don't know, might just be me, but the Escapist news items seem to be wandering into sensationalist, even trollish, territory lately. I hope it's not on purpose, but considering the number of them popping up lately (especially in regards to Valve, Steam, or console news) I'm starting to wonder.

...not bothered in the slightest. I kinda wish people would just let Valve move on at this point. It'd be a lot easier if Gabe just said, "no, we're kinda done with that" to solidify it, push fans along, and let Valve move onto other things. The ending for HL2 was kinda a kick in the groin, but still...

You know, who honestly cares at this point? Now, that I think about it, there are only a few ways for the Half Life series to end. Either Gordon figures out whats up with the whole G-Man thing and saves the universe, or he fails and the universe is screwed. It'd be interesting to see how he gets to that point, but at this rate, I doubt they'd satisfy people. Too many ideas and theories have formed in their heads for Valve to successfully reel them in. Which is why I plan to keep my hype at baseline levels and if the game is ever released, not that it really matters now.

I care. I want to see another chapter in the saga.

Also, I always thought the only option for just about any story was either the protagonists win or the protagonists lose. Just sayin'.

That's almost a BRIAN BLESSED beard.

Here's an idea Gabe, find yourself a science fiction writer, preferably one with a good background in horror; and let him write you a script.

I'm sure there's a few authors out there who would write you something truly stunning. Then all you have to do is program it.

Laidlaw can write a good piece of horror, believe it or not. And I imagine it wouldn't be hard for Wolpaw and Faliszek to pen a frightening, if witty, bit of horror.

Still, the more (talented) writers, the better. Right?

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Laidlaw can write a good piece of horror, believe it or not. And I imagine it wouldn't be hard for Wolpaw and Faliszek to pen a frightening, if witty, bit of horror.

*twitch* There's a minor difference between journalism and story telling - one doesn't necessarily imply the other.

Unless it's the Sun, of course.

 

[spectrenihlus]

"Gabe Newell acknowledges Half Life 3"

-reads article, no new news on Half Life 3-

Seriously though, Bioware was able to develop a trilogy of games in between the release of Half Life 2 ep 2 and now. Not to mention development on 2 dragon age games, yet Valve can't even give us a snippet on wtf is going on with the game.

 

[Ninedeus]

While it really is frustrating that we really have no real news about when we will get HL3 and Ep.3, I've always seen valve as like the Stanley Kubrick of game developers. They have a philosophy of taking things slowly, meticulously work their game from the ground up and are tight lipped of any development until they are sure that their game is ready.

 

[Lovely Mixture]

I could care less really. I'm sorry to sound so cynical, I have a love-hate relationship with Valve. I wasn't impressed with Episode 2 despite the wait, I was disappointed with Portal 2 (it was still good though, don't get me wrong) and now they keep adding things to TF2 that we don't need.

The Half-Life series is now Half-Dead to me.....wait that's the same thing.

 

[TheRussian]

It reminds me of when people always used to pester me to draw them stuff when they heard that I liked to draw -_-

I know that feel, bro.
On a related note, I'd prefer the next Half Life to be made without haste, so as to not sacrifice any aspect that makes the series great.
Take your dear sweet time, Valve, don't give in to pressure by rushing the creative process. ;D

 

[Woodsey]

I would honestly rather not hear a thing about it until about 6 months before release. They get asked in practically every interview, and someone with inferential ability of a 5-year-old would be able to tell they're working on it.

 

[SpaceBat]

Read the thing (good read), praised Valve for choosing quality over quantity and the fact that they don't want to hype things up, glad that they acknowledge the fans et cetera, et cetera, but seriously LOOK AT DAT BEARD!

 

[anthony87]

Meh, I'm in the mindset where I don't really wanna know what they're doing about it. It'll be done when it's done. I'd rather hear about it when it's near to completion...whenever that may be.

I'm actually getting kinda tired of every single interview with Valve employees having to have some mention of Half-Life 3.

 

[xPixelatedx]

making sure that we don't just get into terminal sequelitis

Gotta really respect Valve for this - whilst they clearly do do sequels it would be easy to churn out a new HL every year or so like some franchises but Valve would rather strive for quality over quantity.

A rare thing in today's industry.

No, I don't, because they already have this. Wans't Left4dead 2 released a year after the original..? not even that? that was the most blatant cashgrab I have seen in a long time, not to say that Left4dead 1 wasn't a cashgrab to begin with. The problem I have with valve is they have to be bitched at endlessly to get them to make anything that requires any actual effort, Like Portal 2. We would have got Portal 2 a LOT sooner if it wasn't for the Left4dead games, and taking that in to consideration, I think that validates everyone's frustration.
I think this situation is more a 'this is what we want you to make' rather then a 'we want it now' complaint with Half Life 3.

That said I don't want Half Life 3 now, I want to wait for the new generation of hardware for both PC's and consoles before it comes out, that way if falls short of Halflife 1 (like 2 did for me) at least it will be pretty. I enjoyed Half Life 2, but not really as much as 1. It's graphics were it's only saving grace; if I am going to walk down endless empty streets doing nothing, then they have to be pretty at least.

 

[CleverCover]

They could just say that they don't feel like making it and don't know where the story is going to go. I mean, they released Portal 2, LFD and LFD2 and I'm sure people wouldn't have minded if they saved their work on LFD2 for HL3 instead.

You want to make a great story, but Don't know what that story is. You want to give the people something but don't have anything. You don't want to tell them you don't have anything so they will stay so you don't say anything. You don't say anything, the people will stay and wait with large hope-filled eyes until the dissapointment becomes too much to handle. So every few years, they say something and nothing to keep the people, until one day they find something to show them. Hopefully, before I have grandkids.

I gotta say though...Dude would make a great politician. He's got that whole saying everything and nothing at the same time thing down.

 

[Farther than stars]

I wish people would give Valve a break. Half-Life 3 would be awesome, yes, but Valve is gonna make it when they're ready to make it. It reminds me of when people always used to pester me to draw them stuff when they heard that I liked to draw -_-

Yes, but presumably you didn't charge people for half the drawing, which was so amazing and fanatastic, but then didn't give them the change to buy the other half for over five years.

making sure that we don't just get into terminal sequelitis

Gotta really respect Valve for this - whilst they clearly do do sequels it would be easy to churn out a new HL every year or so like some franchises but Valve would rather strive for quality over quantity.

A rare thing in today's industry.

This I have to agree with. But let's just hope that Half-Life doesn't become another victim of "Duke Nukem: Forever Syndrome", where the studio doesn't complete the game for over a decade and where the title has been in the works for so long that there's no coherent tone to it. For now my hopes have been high, but that's only because of the quality of Valve's portfolio.

 

[Beryl77]

I didn't expect any less from Valve. I'd rather not play Half-Life at all than some rushed out version.
But there has been a lot of speculation and unjustified hype around Half-Life lately. I know it's the fans doing it to themselves but that's just how we are and Valve knows that. I think it would be nice if they would talk to us more, in a way which wouldn't harm any of their important plans and projects.
A lot of frustration could be prevented that way.

Before I forget, Mr. Chalk I'm really disappointed in you, I had such high expectations. How could you forget to mention something so crucial. It's probably the most interesting part of the whole Penny Arcade interview. Gabe Newell has grown awesome beard!

 

[Spencer Petersen]

All these assholes who feel like they are somehow "owed" a new Half Life need to remove their craniums from their rectums. A game company has no obligation to bend to your will and make any game you wish. Until you have payed for the product you are not entitled to shit. Game design should never be led by public opinion, and those who feel like they somehow know better than the developers need to step back and reevaluate their standing.

 

[pearcinator]

Valve could've easily have made Half Life 3 (and it would be amazing) if they hired more staff...but nooooooo Valve knows that a small staff means all the money gets shared with less people and I am sure that EVERY staff member at Valve is quite happy with how it is now.